laser

### Caliper Overview

This option is only available if your PC-DMIS license includes the Small COP or Big COP option.

The Caliper is a quick-check tool that works similar to a physical caliper. It provides a local two-point size check on the Pointcloud (COP), Mesh, or COPOPER (such as the COPSELECT, COPCLEAN, or COPFILTER) object. The Caliper shows the measured length along the selected axis or direction.

Select the Caliper option from the Insert | Gage menu.

You can also access the Gage dialog box in these ways:

- Click the Caliper button () from the QuickCloud toolbar.

- From the QuickMeasure toolbar, click the Gage drop-down arrow, and then click the Caliper button.

Gage dialog box

A caliper has two tips, which are used to measure the distance between two opposing sides. The caliper's tip has a user-defined size. Click in the Graphic Display window to select the start and end points. Using the data within the tip size, the caliper end points stop at the high points on the selected data (or optionally, on the calculated best fit points). The software performs a search distance along the caliper axis to determine the relevant points.

The Gage dialog box has these tabs:

Gage dialog box - Properties tab

Gage dialog box - Properties tab

The Properties tab of the Gage dialog box has these sections:

Measurement Type

Fit Type: Click the drop-down arrow to display these options:

MaxFit: This setting is the default. Using the tip size and search distance, the caliper end points stop at the high points on the selected surfaces. A search distance along the caliper axis is used to determine the relevant points.

BestFit: A best fit least square fit is applied to all data points that fall within the caliper tip size and search distance. The resulting best fit points are used to determine the caliper length. This alternative method may be used if the scan data contains "noise”, but can result in the caliper shown inside the pointcloud or mesh.

Axis: The Caliper can be constructed along the X, Y, or Z axis. Select Parallel to construct it Normal to the first surface picked. Select None to apply no constraint (3D distance between two points).

Constrain: Select this option to make the two end points exactly opposite one another along the selected axis.

Offset: Select this option to allow the two end points to be offset from each other in position. The measured length remains along the selected axis.

Feature theoreticals

Start Point: This option is the XYZ coordinate location of where the Caliper begins.

End Point: This option is the XYZ coordinate location of where the Caliper stops.

Caliper Properties

Shape: Select the appropriate tip shape, Circle (default) or Rectangle. If you select Rectangle, the Height and Height Axis options are enabled.

The Rectangle option is only enabled when you select the X Axis, Y Axis, or Z Axis option from the Measurement Type section. If you select Parallel or None, the Rectangle option is disabled.

Size / Width: The Caliper can have different size start and end tips. Enter the Size Start Point and End Point values for the circle tip, or the Width Start Point and End Point values for a rectangle tip. When the distance is then computed, the tip stops at the high point the way a caliper would.

Height: These values define the height of a rectangular tip's Start Point and End Point. The height size runs along the selected axis. This option is only enabled for rectangular calipers.

Height Axis: Select the option from the list to set the axis used to control the rotation of the rectangle. This option is only enabled for rectangular calipers.

Search Distance: This value defines the length, from nominal, on either side of the picked point. The search distance along with the caliper tip shape creates a cylindrical zone. All data within this zone is evaluated to determine the caliper high point.

For details, see the "Creating a Caliper" topic.

#### Gage dialog box - Label/Reporting tab

Gage dialog box - Label/Reporting tab

The Label/Reporting tab of the Gage dialog box has these sections:

Tolerances section

The default Caliper tolerances are defined by the Dimension Color scale. For details, see "Editing Dimension Colors" in the PC-DMIS Core documentation.

The Tolerances section allows you to type plus and minus tolerances for the Caliper length.

To enter the plus, minus, and nominal tolerances:

1. Type the plus tolerance value in the Plus box.

2. Type the minus tolerance value in the Minus box.

If a CAD model is used, the nominal (theoretical) caliper length is determined from the CAD. If no CAD model is used, the nominal value is updated with the initial measured value. The Nominal value can be edited.

Label section

Show check box: When this check box is selected, the Caliper label and graphic are displayed in the Graphic Display window.

Show heading check box: Toggles the display of the row and column headings in the Caliper label. When this check box is selected, the label's row and column headings are displayed.

Contents area

The order in which you select the following check boxes defines the order in which they appear in the label. The order number appears to the left of each selected item. When you clear a check box, the software reorders the order numbers of the remaining selected check boxes accordingly.

Measured check box: When this check box is selected, the measured data is displayed in the label.

Nominal check box: When this check box is selected, the nominal data is displayed in the label.

Tolerance check box: When this check box is selected, the tolerance data appears in the label.

Deviation check box: When this check box is selected, the deviation data between the measured and nominal values appears in the label.

OutTol check box: When this check box is selected, the out-of-tolerance data appears in the label.

Default button: Click to set the current selection of check boxes as the default.

Reset button: Click to clear all check boxes in the Contents area. The software then resets the section to the auto-setting configuration showing the measured value.

Report and Statistics section

From this section, you can use the options to control the output results:

STATS - sends output to statistical files

REPORT - sends output to inspection report

BOTH - sends output to both inspection report and statistical files

NONE - doesn’t send output anywhere

When PC-DMIS executes the command, the results are sent to the specified output.

If you choose Stats or Both, a preceding STATS/ON command must exist inside the Edit window to send the results to the stats file.

The items that appear in the text format output are defined by the dimension format command in your measurement routine. For details, see the topic "Dimension Format" in the PC-DMIS Core documentation.

Clear button: Click to reset the Gage dialog box to the auto settings configuration.

Create button: Click to create a new Caliper defined with the settings you made in the Gage dialog box. The software creates the Caliper.

Close button: Click to close the Gage dialog box without creating a Caliper.

Caliper line thickness

You can set the thickness of the Caliper line through the OpenGL tab of the CAD and Graphic Setup dialog box (Edit | Graphic Display Window | OpenGL). For details, see the topic "Changing OpenGL Options"in the "Setting Your Preferences" chapter of the PC-DMIS Core documentation.

More:

Creating a Caliper

Caliper Start Point, Mid Point, and End Point